Single Ingredient Natural Beauty Solutions

After 4 years in the "real world" I am going back to the life of a poor student. I know I won't have much money so I decided to take on the challenge of making my own skincare since skincare seems to be the most expensive part of my beauty routine. After doing hours of research and finally settling on recipes that seemed absolutely perfect, I was reminded just how little free time I will have. This means taking the time to create my own skincare will be few and far between.

Despite my busy schedule I am still intent to cut some costs and maintain my goal of 100% natural skincare. This imminent lack of free time led me to discover some single ingredient beauty solutions. No recipe, no mixing, and no measuring required.

Olive oil is the perfect replacement for shaving cream. Very little is required to create a smooth layer between your delicate skin and your razor. It is also a great moisturizer so you can replace your body lotion with it as well! Be very careful not to cut yourself as olive oil burns like crazy on an open wound. Also be sure to watch for slippery spots in your shower caused by the oil. Another great tip is to leave you razor resting in a small bowl of olive oil...it will prevent rusting.

Olive oil. Photo credit: howstuffworks.com

Almond oil has taken the place of my eye make-up remover and moisturizer. The naturally occurring vitamin e is great for the delicate eye area. Apply the almond oil to a cotton ball and let it rest on your eye for a few seconds before wiping away your mascara and eye make-up.

Almonds contain vitamin e.

Cornstarch soaks up oil and eliminates the need for chemical filled dry shampoos. I've read that you can mix it with pure cocoa powder for darker hair, but I eliminate the residue by applying the cornstarch at night. By the time you wake up both the grease and the white powder will be undetectable. Just remember a little bit goes a long way.

Cornstarch is the perfect hair degreaser. Photo credit: Artizone

Wake Up!

Have you ever had one of those days where you just can't wake up? Where the grogginess never seems to wear off? Where no amount of caffeine can widen your eyes? Today was one of those days. I gave up coffee about a year ago, so that's not an option, and tea just didn't do the trick. This got me thinking about other natural alternatives. Is it possible that there are natural and healthy ways to go from wiped out to bright eyed?

Photo Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Fruits give you a quick boost with their natural sugar content.

Whole grains provide a prolonged boost with their complex carbohydrates.

Bee pollen is a favorite of athletes looking for more energy.

Ginseng provides energy and relieves stress.

Almonds produce an alert mental state.

Yogurt is rich in magnesium which boosts energy.

This list of course does not include all of the obvious ways to fight fatigue. More sleep, daylight, positive thinking, and hydration.

Have you tried any of these sleepy solutions? I'd love to hear what works and what's all hype.

60% off at ECOutrement until September 30

I have no idea what happened to these last couple months. As you already know, we here at ECOutrement are closing our doors. What you don't know is why. In two weeks I am picking up my life and moving to San Diego to start a master's program in Architecture. Can you believe it? A new city and a new life!

Our last markdown has been made (everything is now 60% off the marked price) and our doors will officially close on September 30. This is the perfect time to get your holiday shopping done early!

Get Rid of the Clutter. Go Dropbox.

As a soon to be student in a computer intensive field I am a little paranoid about my computer crashing. My worst fear? Losing all my work in the middle of finals. I must find a storage solution so my projects are safe. I tried the whole external hard drive thing, but I wasn't in love with the fact that I was collecting yet another piece of unrecyclable technology. In addition, my external hard drive crashed within the first year...so much for my data being safe!

Image Credit: ComputerHelp808.com

With the advent of the cloud we can now approach data storage like we do driving. I know what you are thinking...what the heck does data storage have to do with driving? Just like we eco-fashionistas love to carpool instead of driving alone, we can also carpool with our data. By storing things in a cloud we are sharing hardware with other people, which means less waste. It also means more reliability since someone's job is to keep those pieces of hardware running.

So you've heard of the cloud, but which one do you choose? After looking at price, storage size, ease of use, and getting some feedback from friends I have decided that Dropbox is my storage solution of choice! A light user can get their storage completely free, and a heavy user can buy a yearly plan at a low price. It doesn't get much better! You can access your Dropbox account from anything with an internet connection, and it automatically syncs all your registered devices. iPad, iPhone, laptop, desktop...all your files will appear in your Dropbox on all of them! Dropbox creates a folder on your desktop so you can drop and go without having to sign into their website each time you want to back something up.

Image Credit: VitaminCM.com

Interested in signing up for Dropbox? It's easy, fast, and simple...just click here.

40% off at ECOutrement.com...Everything Must Go!!

It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce the closing of ECOutrement.com. These past years have been amazing and I've loved corresponding with all you fabulously green fashionistas out there. As much fun as it has been, other opportunites have arisen and I must take them.

My loss is your gain. Everything at ECOutrement.com must go! Every piece on the site will be reduced 40% upon checkout. No coupon code is required...how fabulous is that?? We are still offering free ground shipping on every order, so shop now to save big.

Goodebox - Healthy Beauty Delivered Monthly

Ever tried a CSA? For those who are saying "a CS-what," it is simply a box full of produce from your local farm. Now think of that except instead of produce, this monthly shipment is full of natural beauty products. Sounds amazing, right? It get's better. I've tried these sorts of monthly boxes before and I always seem to throw away half of what I get because it's either food I don't like or a product I will never use. Enter Goodebox! When you first sign up for this monthly beauty delivery you also create a profile highlighting your skin type, your hair concerns, your dietary restrictions (ex: vegan) and your make-up preferences. Each month you get a box full of chemical free and healthy beauty products that are tailored to your profile, so no more throwing away products you will never use. Every box is curated by an expert in the green community, so you are sure to receive high quality eco-friendly, and healthy products.

Each Goodebox is filled with samples for the most part, although some are full sized products, but the samples are definitely not single use. I estimate that the smaller samples will last about a week and the larger samples will last until your next Goodebox arrives (this is just an estimation and will vary based on how often the products are used). In addition all members get discount codes for full sized versions of everything in the box! I just received my first Goodebox and I am more than impressed. Here's what I found inside:

DeVine Lip Shimmer in Champagne
I am not a lipstick person, but this lip shimmer smells absolutely amazing and the color is so subtle. It's just enough to add some personality to my pout!

DeVine Lip Shimmer in Champagne; $4.50 at DeVine

Get Creamed Body Whipped Body Cream
Again, this smells amazing! I also love how the cream is thick and feels ultra moisturizing.

Get Creamed Body Whipped Body Cream in Pink Citrus; $28 at Get Creamed Body

Linda Kammins Daily Shine Shampoo, Daily Shine Rinse, and Tea Tonic Rinse
I am super excited to try this vegan haircare. At first I thought the samples seemed a bit small but then I realized the products are either concentrated and are meant to be mixed with water, or require a very small amount to get the job done. I love companies that make the most out of their packaging! I have yet to use the stuff, but the scent is very light and refreshing.

Linda Kammins Daily Shine Shampoo; $8.50 at Linda Kammins

Linda Kammins Daily Shine Rinse; $8.50 at Linda Kammins

Linda Kammins Tea Tonic Rinse; $22 at Linda Kammins

True Natural Active Sunscreen SPF 40
As someone with good Irish skin that always burns...never tans; I am constantly looking for a great natural sunscreen that has a high SPF, but won't turn me as white as a ghost. I think I finally found it! This sunscreen blends beautifully and leaves no white residue. It also doesn't smell like sunscreen. The scent is extremely subtle, but if I had to pinpoint it I would say that it is a bit nutty.

True Natural Active Sunscreen; $16.19 at True Natural

Weleda Iris Hydrating Facial Lotion and Iris Hydrating Night Cream
I can't wait to try these two products since it's hard for me to find a face lotion that doesn't cause breakouts. The face lotion is geared toward oily skin so I have high hopes. Both the lotion and the cream have a very fresh and subtle scent.

Weleda Iris Hydrating Facial Lotion; $20 at Weleda

Weleda Iris Hydrating Night Cream; $21 at Weleda

In addition to all the amazing products I received this month, the customer service over at Goodebox has also been top notch. I wasn't supposed to receive my first box until next month (I missed the sign-up deadline for this month's box), but they had some extra products so they sent one to me anyway! I also love that I received a shipment notification with a tracking number when my box shipped. Don't you hate when you have no idea if your shipment is on it's way??

I have participated in many of these monthly shipment clubs and haven't really been satisfied with any of them until now. Thank you Goodebox for being so good!

Note that all photos shown are full sized products. All products in this Goodebox were sample sized except for the DeVine Lip Shimmer, which was full sized.

Acure Organics: Smells So Good You'll Want To Eat It

Disclaimer: This stuff may smell good, but don't eat it...IT'S NOT EDIBLE. Now that I've gotten that out of the way let's get on to the review.

It's funny the things we remember from our childhood. Some are big moments like our Junior High School graduation, others seem less important but stick with us anyway. I specifically remember a trip to the grocery store that I took with a friend when we were in elementary school. My mom was one aisle over and we were trying to entertain ourselves while she picked out a bag of perfect oranges. We made our way to the haircare aisle and my friend pointed to a bottle and said "I use this shampoo because it makes my hair smell like a fruit salad." I immediately replied "I want my hair to smell like a fruit salad!" Silly conversation? Yes, but nonetheless it began my obsession with ridiculously good smelling haircare. In comes Acure Organics.

The first thing that drew me to Acure haircare was the organic and natural ingredients, but the thing that kept me coming back was the amazing scent. The Moroccan Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell Shampoo and Conditioner smell like heaven. A mix of cherries and almond. It also seems to do a pretty good job controlling my out of control hair! I'm going to be honest, the scent is strong. I was a bit worried at first because I am fairly sensitive to scents...they usually get my allergies going, but this scent hasn't bothered me at all. After I tried Acure for the first time I went out and stocked up. I guess I was worried that I would run out, and that just can't happen.

Their dry shampoo is really amazing too!